So Cameron’s is a company founded in Shakopee, MN that just happens to have looseleaf tea in my grocery store of choice. Which is awesome really as I live in a place known for beer and cheese, so teahouses are far and few between.

That being said, this blend is really meh to me. I definitely taste plum. But the only other thing I taste is hibiscus. And no amount of sugar is getting that to get to a level that I really enjoy. It makes an okay before bed cup when I really don’t care all that much though. I likely won’t be getting any more.

Preparation

The jasmine takes a back seat in this one. This te is very affordable at my local grocery store in bulk but it’s not that good, so I think I will save this for when I crave jasmine but don’t have anything else in the house.

This is my first gunpowder and I really like it! The smokiness really stands out in both aroma and flavor. Since this is my first one I’m not sure about the quality; the leaves after steeping look small and broken but not really bad. I bought this in bulk at a local grocery store and I am under the impression it wasn’t very fresh; I am a little ashamed to say I still like it! =) Now I’m really looking forward to trying more gunpowders!

This isn’t bad at all. I took the first couple of sips while it was still hot, enjoyed that the focus was on the green tea and not so much on the tropical fruit… and then set it aside to let it cool so that I could enjoy it iced. It is FAR better iced than it was hot … and I quite liked it hot. But this blend is one of those that just is made for iced tea.

The tropical fruit notes seem to pop out a bit more as it cools, but the green tea remains the strongest note. Very pleasant tea.

I looked up Camerons (my mom’s maiden name) but they no longer make tins…so sad…so I googled tins and found Charles Cameron Architect for Empress Catherine of Russia (my grandfather was Charles Cameron also) and he built Palaces and Orthodox Cathedrals (I’m Orthodox). So your review sent me on a journey…who would have guessed. Thank you! Господи, помилуй Gospodi pomiluj

Replaced my Jungle JuJu in the fridge with this…best choice ever! So juicy it hurts! Usually I find my black teas need twice as much sugar as other teas when they’re iced, but that is not the case with this puppy. It’s sweet, but not too sweet, juicy, and refreshing! Yum.

Preparation

I love this tea. I love this tea, I love this tea, I love this tea. Every time I have a cup, I fall in love all over again. This is one of my favorite cups of tea, it’s so very juicy and fruity…I didn’t even know what black currant tasted like before this!

I have to ask my steepster family: I can only find this online in 2 lb bags…is there anywhere I can buy this in smaller quantities? I don’t even want to run out!

Preparation

Everything about this is very gentle. I like that as sometimes I am just looking for a gentle green or a gentle flavored green…this will fit the bill for those moments.

The green tea is a bit flatter than most which contributes to the overall gentle-factor. As is both the Pineapple and Papaya flavors. I can taste a combo of those two flavors paired with the green tea but it’s hard to distinguish which tropical fruits are in the flavor combo. BUT…the taste is juicy yet gentle and overall quite satisfying…

This isn’t really my type of tea. It is okay, but nothing spectacular. The smell and flavor seems a little too veggie-ish for me. I can taste the jasmine, but prefer teas with stronger flavoring. Prepared with stevia.

This is a very lightly flavored green tea. The green tea base is a good, run of the mill sencha. I don’t really taste pineapple or papaya, just something vaguely tropical, mostly in the aftertaste. Not bad, but I prefer my teas more heavily flavored than this. Prepared with stevia.

I haven’t tried rose tea before for fear of it tasting like potpourri (and this one definitely looks like potpourri). But, this tea was really good. The flavor was light with hints of rose and mostly apple. A great bedtime tea. Prepared with stevia.

I’ve never had gunpowder tea before and very rarely drink green tea, but I really like this. I’m not sure if I taste the smoky flavor, to me it is more of a warm, toasty flavor (kind of like caramel). Prepared with stevia.

Lots of tart passion fruit flavor. The aftertaste is more berry with a touch of something herbal. Tastes a lot like a less intense version of Tazo’s Passion tea. This tea blend looks great, with huge chunks of fruit and leaves. It is a little weak – I used three heaping teaspoons to about 14 ounces of water. Prepared with stevia.

This one is growing on me more with each sip. Decent fruit flavor (but could be a little fruitier for my tastes). Has a very malty, almost creamy flavor. Doesn’t need any milk added. Prepared with lots of stevia, I like my fruit teas pretty sweet.

I fell in love with black currant tea from a deli chain called Jason’s Deli. They offered an amazing iced black currant tea, real full on the mouth. Thankfully, I found a replacement! The tea is lush in black currant flavor. It tastes real, not artificial. I have only had it iced. It’s truly an uplifting tea, made with assam. I am a fan, and I will be buying this tea up!